Dried porcini is a great souvenir from Italy if you asked me — it’s light and easy to carry, to a foodie like me, adding porcini to pasta is like effortlessly uplifting my cooking skills instantly.
Since Mom brought me dried morel from HK as well, I made a little poshy mixed mushroom pasta with porcini and morel.
Rehydrate Dried Porcini (and Morel)
Same as other dried mushrooms, rinse first, then you can use normal tap water to soak it, but warm water can speed up the process. About 20 to 30 minutes will get the job done. Remember to retain the aromatic liquid. Use the leftover to cook rice. You’ll love it.
A Few Useful Cooking Notes
- Onion: If you Google porcini pasta, probably you won’t find anybody using onion in it. I added it and cooked it till it is coloured because I like its sweetness contributed to the pasta.
- Spinach: I like to incorporate more vegetables into a pasta to boost the nutrient intake. Though it’s a personal choice, I encourage you to try as they actually match well!
- Butter: Swap for vegan butter or skip it if you’re a vegan. But I find that butter works beautifully with porcini since it adds a rich flavour to the whole dish.
- Cashew butter: I LOVE cashew butter. It works like crème fraîche but thicker in consistency, yet you won’t feel heavily fatty since it’s a plant-based fat. Overall, you’ll need some fat, any fat to help thicken the sauce.
Porcini and Morel Pasta Recipe
Store the dried porcini and morel in the cupboard and make it whenever you want (without fresh mushrooms works well, too)! The key is: give enough time to rehydrate and cook the mushrooms to release the aromas.
Ingredients
Serves 1 as a main (or a starter for 2)
- 80 g linguine
- 8 g dried porcini
- 8 g dried morel
- 1 large fresh mushroom
- ¼ onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 g butter
- ¾ tbsp cashew butter
- a handful of spinach
- 30 g freshly grated Parmesan
How to Make
- First, soak the dried porcini and morel in warm water for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the onion, garlic and fresh mushroom. And grate the Parmesan into a bowl.
- Warm the olive oil in a pan over low heat, add the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt, slowly cook until fragrant. The onions should take on some colour but not burn, about 10 minutes.
- When the porcini and morel are hydrated, lightly squeeze out the excessive water and retain the aromatic liquid for later use.
- Tip all the mushrooms (including the fresh one) to the pan, add the butter and a pinch of salt for seasoning. Cook for a minute or so.
- At the same time, cook the pasta in salted water as per the packet’s instructions.
- Pour in the aromatic liquid to barely cover the ingredients in the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 8-10 minutes to maximise their aromas. Have a taste of the sauce.
- Add a large handful of spinach and half of the grated Parmesan. Mix well. The sauce should have thickened a bit. Now, depending on how thick you want the sauce to be, add an appropriate amount of cashew butter. I added ¾ tbsp. We want to achieve a glossy sauce with a nice consistency.
- Use a pair of tongs to grab the pasta directly from the water to the pan, and give it a quick stir. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Related post: Great Rome Food: What to Eat (and Where to Stay)
If You Like Mushroom…
Check out these delicious mushroom pasta!
- Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff Spaghetti Without Sour Cream
- Thyme to eat! Cauliflower and Mushroom Penne
- Onion and Mushroom Peperoncino with Bread Crumbs
- Simple Creamy Mushroom Penne in 15 mins
- Mushroomy Spaghetti with Simple White Sauce
- Lemony Mushroom Cream Sauce Linguine
